Leaving Infant in the car.....

[wishing4PA]

ETA: I did rip apart a lady once for leaving her kids in the car with it on to run into our local Starbucks. The kids were sleeping was her reason for leaving them. Wanna know the kicker? The Starbucks had a flippin' drive-thru!!

Sure, but does it have a drive-through bathroom? jk

I remember having to leave DD in her carseat one time because of a pump problem. I always did pay-at-the-pump, so it freaked me out to have to walk up to the counter for whatever the reason was. I guess I could have taken her out, but it was literally no more than a minute or two and I could see the car out the window the entire time! Still made me nervous, and what I do remember is thinking they will think I am a robber or something because I look so nervous and am in such a rush! Some of us may be overly cautious these days.

It's a tough call sometimes.

 

[pigletgirl]

Growing up I can remember my own mother leaving us in the car when she was running quick errands. That being said, I wouldn't leave my baby in the car alone. Too many crazies out there these days.

 

[zokaluse]

I leave mine in the car when I go to pay for petrol if the pump pay is ooo, I lock the car though & she's strapped in her 5 harness seat..she is 4 in January! I keep my eye the whole time on the car. I'll also run into a local shop if I know I'm only getting two or 3 things and the queues are not long, again I lock the car & keep me eye on it! Prolly 2 mins max each time for both scenarios & that involves walk to & from car.
If DS 11 is in the car I do the same but don't rush as much..he sometimes prefer to sit in the car & read when I do a big shop & he's had to come with me, I usually let him but take DD with me.
BUT do you know what??? I don't like my OH doing the same!!!! But I know he is not as observant as me so that's my reasoning!

 

[Imzadi]

Personally, I would NOT do it. In many places it is, in fact, illegal to do so. It is illegal here in CT to leave a child unattended in a car. Last Friday, in Hartford CT, a Dad left his two year old son in the car with the car running while Dad ran into the convenience store. He was out of the car less than two minutes, when the car was stolen with the child in it. An amber alert was issued and the child was found safe several hours later. The guy who stole the car was high at the time, and left the child with a friend of his in a not-so nearby town and then went to the Civic Center for a holiday concert, where he was apprehended. Since then, the guy has told the police he stole the car to teach the parents a lesson that they shouldn't leave the baby in the car. Nobody knows if he really thought that or not, but it's an interesting defense argument (LOL). But can you imagine being the parent of the child while they were searching for him? I would NEVER want to be in that position of having that worry and fear, not knowing where your child was.

Was the guy charged with kidnapping then? Since he admitted that he knew the kid was in the car and deliberately took the kid, I hope the DA charges him with kidnapping and not just car jacking. Two wrongs do not make a right.

I also hope the father, (while wrong for leaving the kid,) files a case in civil court for mega-zillion bucks of personal distress for the hours his kid was taken, so that the guy can never pay for even legal, over the counter drugs again.

I'm not saying the dad deserves money, just that if the kidnapper is stupid enough to say he was teaching the dad a lesson, he should know his "deed" is not without consequences.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I did it a couple of times when my daughter was younger but only in situations where I could see her in the car the entire time. I wouldn't leave the keys in the car, so I did it when there wasn't any extreme weather (hot or cold).

However, it isn't something I made a habit out of and I wouldn't recommend a parent to it all the time. If nothing else, you might end up with someone who calls the cops on you.

 

[ilovefh]

I've left my son in the car when I had to return or rent a movie from Redbox. I park right in front of it and keep the doors locked. I also have an automatic starter so I take the keys with me and leave the car running so the air stays on. I'm about 6 feet from the car but even if someone were to break into it it would shut off when they put their foot on the brake.

 

[ronandannette]

Today when I was shopping, I saw a woman run into the pizza place we were eating at to pick up take out. She was parked right up front, steps from the store. I noticed her child still buckled in the carseat in the car-the child was sleeping. The lady was gone from her car all of 5 minutes to pick up her food.

I am a new mom and I am so paranoid about leaving my baby even for a minute so I can use the bathroom & I bring my video monitor with me!!

Is it typical for people to do what this mom did?

Parked right outside the window, mere steps away, baby strapped in safely and asleep in a locked car with the engine turned off? Absolutely...somebody please give one GOOD reason why I shouldn't. (Or why a 16 y.o. can't stay alone in a car with younger sibs while parked in his own driveway? Rough neighbourhood?)

 

[goofyintoronto]

I didn't read the replies but i have to say, i have not once left my son in the car alone. Im way too paranoid of the what ifs. I couldn't live with myself if something happened.

Reminds me of a story. Kinda related but a bit different. This one guy forgot his infant son was in the back seat of the car. He parked his car at the train station and went to work like he usually does. Hours later i think his wife called and thats when he realized the baby is still in the car... In the scorching summer heat. Needless to say, the end result was not a good one. Poor baby.

Sent from my Galaxy SII

 

[minniebride]

I didn't read the replies but i have to say, OP if youre appalled with the lady for leaving her baby in the car, youre no better by taking the video monitor with you. What exactly will that do? Someone can steal your car while you're watching. By the time you get outside the car is gone.

For the record, i NEVER left my son in the car alone. I was way too paranoid.

Sent from my Galaxy SII

Ummm.....I know you said you didn't read the replies, but how about reading my actual original post before you get your panties in a wad

Where the heck did I say I was appalled??? I was just wondering if it is a typical thing to do and I really haven't formed an opinion either way on the matter-hence the reason for my thread.

 

[aprilgail2]

I'm sure I've done it before, in a similar circumstance (car in my vision, locked, quick in and out). However, I've never felt the need to monitor my kids while peeing. Honestly, I don't get how new parents can't shower. Put the baby in the crib - worst case scenario is the baby cries a bit. I'm glad I had my twins last - I don't even think I owned a baby monitor by that point!

I probably put my kids in more harm's way dragging them through parking lots when they were little!

I never understood that either- you want to shower, cook, pee- you put the baby in the crib and go do it- they can survive 10-15 minutes in the crib without you watching them the entire time!

If DS 11 is in the car I do the same but don't rush as much..he sometimes prefer to sit in the car & read when I do a big shop & he's had to come with me, I usually let him but take DD with me.

Since my daughter was 10-11 she has been staying in the car because she would rather hang out there and read than be dragged around the stores with me. She locks the door and is much happier in there than coming with me. Now if I was going to just go out shopping and wasn't stopping after being out somewhere with her she would have just stayed home alone but if we stop while we are out she stays in the car.

When she was little if she was sleeping in the car I would just leave her in the driveway in the locked car sleeping until she woke up- I would be glued to the living room window though LOL.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Ummm.....I know you said you didn't read the replies, but how about reading my actual original post before you get your panties in a wad

Where the heck did I say I was appalled??? I was just wondering if it is a typical thing to do and I really haven't formed an opinion either way on the matter-hence the reason for my thread.

Lol. Im sorry, i read it too fast and apparently not properly either! I tried to edit my post before looking like a fool. But too late! Lol! So sorry. I swear im not drunk! LMAO

Sent from my Galaxy SII

 

[MichelleVW]

I'm sure I've done it before, in a similar circumstance (car in my vision, locked, quick in and out). However, I've never felt the need to monitor my kids while peeing. Honestly, I don't get how new parents can't shower. Put the baby in the crib - worst case scenario is the baby cries a bit. I'm glad I had my twins last - I don't even think I owned a baby monitor by that point!

I probably put my kids in more harm's way dragging them through parking lots when they were little!

I don't think I ever did it, but it's been a long time so I may have Lol. I think the taking the baby monitor to the bathroom while you pee is a little weird. What the heck is going to happen in 2 minutes? My second one cried nonstop so I would put her in her crib, shut the door and walk away and turn up the tv so I couldn't hear her!

 

[minniebride]

Lol. Im sorry, i read it too fast and apparently not properly either! I tried to edit my post before looking like a fool. But too late! Lol! So sorry. I swear im not drunk! LMAO

Sent from my Galaxy SII

Thank you for your apology and no worries

 

[minniebride]

I don't think I ever did it, but it's been a long time so I may have Lol. I think the taking the baby monitor to the bathroom while you pee is a little weird. What the heck is going to happen in 2 minutes? My second one cried nonstop so I would put her in her crib, shut the door and walk away and turn up the tv so I couldn't hear her!

Not sure it's OK to call it "weird" unless you look back at your very first experience being a first time mom and you can truly say you never did anything overly paranoid or over the top or silly. My baby is only 2 months old & maybe I will relax over time, but when she was first born she had issues breathing (as in stopped breathing at one point)-very scary and I guess it's still on my mind.

But really, I am reading other posters saying they left the car to pump gas for a few minutes and kept their eye on their child the whole time, ran into the store for a few minutes and watched through the window the whole time, left their kid in the car in the driveway while they slept and their eyes were glued to the window.....how is that any different than me going up a flight of stairs to the restroom for a few minutes and bringing the monitor with me? Are you saying these other posters are weird as well???

 

[goofyintoronto]

Not sure it's OK to call it "weird" unless you look back at your very first experience being a first time mom and you can truly say you never did anything overly paranoid or over the top or silly. My baby is only 2 months old & maybe I will relax over time, but when she was first born she had issues breathing (as in stopped breathing at one point)-very scary and I guess it's still on my mind.

But really, I am reading other posters saying they left the car to pump gas for a few minutes and kept their eye on their child the whole time, ran into the store for a few minutes and watched through the window the whole time, left their kid in the car in the driveway while they slept and their eyes were glued to the window.....how is that any different than me going up a flight of stairs to the restroom for a few minutes and bringing the monitor with me? Are you saying these other posters are weird as well???

I was very much like you when i first had my son. I dont even think video baby monitors existed back then, but i took the reg monitor with me everywhere. Thats normal first time mom behavior i think.

Sent from my Galaxy SII

 

[minniebride]

I was very much like you when i first had my son. I dont even think video baby monitors existed back then, but i took the reg monitor with me everywhere. Thats normal first time mom behavior i think.

Sent from my Galaxy SII

I'm guessing that as well. My daughter is currently still in a pack n play in our bedroom (soon to be transitioning to her nursery) and during the first week at home, anytime she was napping, I found myself checking to see if her belly was moving up and down to breath if I woke up between feedings. Some friends told me they did the same thing with their first. She is a little less "fragile looking" now, so I do feel I am relaxing a bit, but I do find that video monitor gives me great peace of mind.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I had twins and never, ever left my girls alone in the car, ever. That was even in the days when you had to pay for gas inside.

 

[MichelleVW]

Not sure it's OK to call it "weird" unless you look back at your very first experience being a first time mom and you can truly say you never did anything overly paranoid or over the top or silly. My baby is only 2 months old & maybe I will relax over time, but when she was first born she had issues breathing (as in stopped breathing at one point)-very scary and I guess it's still on my mind.

But really, I am reading other posters saying they left the car to pump gas for a few minutes and kept their eye on their child the whole time, ran into the store for a few minutes and watched through the window the whole time, left their kid in the car in the driveway while they slept and their eyes were glued to the window.....how is that any different than me going up a flight of stairs to the restroom for a few minutes and bringing the monitor with me? Are you saying these other posters are weird as well???

I had tons of experience with infants before I had my own and I knew that it was ok to leave them alone for a few minutes, so no, I really wasn't over the top on things like that. Sorry if I hurt your feelings, but the "never ever ever leaving the baby alone for a second without a baby monitor" is just such a foreign concept to me.

Leaving the baby in a car is totally different....your car is more likely to get broken into than someone coming into your home and stealing your baby.

 

[minniebride]

I had tons of experience with infants before I had my own and I knew that it was ok to leave them alone for a few minutes, so no, I really wasn't over the top on things like that. Sorry if I hurt your feelings, but the "never ever ever leaving the baby alone for a second without a baby monitor" is just such a foreign concept to me.

Leaving the baby in a car is totally different....your car is more likely to get broken into than someone coming into your home and stealing your baby.

You certainly did not hurt my feelings, I just think it's kind of rude to judge others with different levels of experience than yourself. I would rather be safe than sorry & I fail to see the harm in that.

 

[Colleen27]

I wouldn't with an infant, but I do leave my school-aged kids if I'm running a quick errand like the ATM or paying for gas if pay-at-the-pump isn't working. In our community, given the circumstances/abilities/personalities I am working with, I feel there's little-to-no risk involved. In a different place or with different kids, I'd likely do differently.